Infant&#39;s bathtub and foot actuated dressing table therefor



Dec. 21, .1937. D. M. KENNEDY 2,102,959

INFANTS BAATI I TUB AND FOOT ACTUATED DRESSING TABLE THEREFOR Filed Oct. 8, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORY DEWEY/*7. Kan/v50) WITNESSES ATTORNEYS 1937- D. M. KENNEDY 2,102,959

INFANTS BATHTUB AND FOOT ACTUATED DRESSING TABLE THEREFOR 5 Shets-Sheet 2 mm N x N WE KM Mi H m m s E S Bl N! n W ATTORN EYS Dec. 21, 1937. D. M. KENNEDY 2,102,959

INFANTS BATHTUB AND FOOT ACTUATED DRESSING TABLE THEREFOR Filed 0st. 8, 1936 a Sheets-Sheet s igflfi- "I I 1:: 1:22.1121: TIL-:1 :11: I 12:1: 1'-- I 11 HI 1 WW INVENTOR. DEWEY M. KENNEDY fM-PW M ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Patented Dec. 21, 1937 amass mmn'r's BATHTUB AND roo'r ACTUATED nnassmo-rmn rnaaaron.

, Dewey M. Kennedy, Rochester, N. Y.

application October-"8, 1936, Serial No. 104,624

4 Claims. on-1m This invention relates to infants bathing apparatus and has particular reference to a combined bathtub and dressing table and foot. actuated means for moving the dressing table to an active position over the tub.

In devices of this character which have hitherto been devised and which are now in general use-and on the market, the dressing table which is adapted to be moved to a position overlying the tub requires the use of one hand to move the same from its inactive position to its active position. Obviously, this necessitates the practice of holding the infant with one hand while movingithe table to its active position over the tub with the other.

invention The present has for its principal object to provide a foot actuated means for moving from its inactive position to thereby leaving both hands from the tub and place it .the dressing table its active position, free to lift the infant on the dressing table.

The present invention more specifically contemplates 2. collapsible ported by the frame and collapsible therewith, a dressing table movable from inactive position at the rear of .the tub, to an active position overlying the tub and a foot actuated means for moving the dressing table from its inactive position to its active position.

The invention further comprehends in a bathing apparatus of the character described, of a dressing table supported at its forward edge when in active position upon the supporting frame, a lever connected at its upper end to the dressing table for moving the dressing table from an inactive position at the rear of the tub to an active position overlying the tub, and a foot treadie pivoted to the lever for moving the same.

Other objects of the invention reside in the comparative simplicity of construction and mode of use of the device, the economy with which it may be produced and the general eiliciency derived from the improved structure thereof.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawings; in which there a is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention, while the claims define the actual scope of the same. r

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device with the dressing table secured in its active position. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of 55 the tub supporting frame with the tub removed.

frame, a bathtub sup- Fig. 3 is'a fragmentary perspective view 61-- the tub detached from its supporting frame.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line H of 6 Fig. 3. v

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the device as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a planview of the tub-forming member flattened out for the purpose of scrubbing and cleansing the same.

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the line indicated at 1-1. in Fig. 5 j

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the device includes a foldable tub supporting frame consisting of a pair of front legs Ill and a pair of rear legs II, the former being connected at their upper ends by a longitudinally extending bar l2 and'the latter being connected at their upper ends by a longitudinally extending bar l3. Intermediate their'height, the legs Ill and II are pivotally connected by a longitudinally extending rod ii. The bars l2 and I! are preferably covered by a strip of waterproof material l5 having an inner depending edge IS, the purpose of which will be hereafter set forth.

- The upper ends of the front legs are provided with upwardly projecting portions II which extend materially above the connecting bar l2 while the upper ends of the rear legs H terminate approximately flush with the connecting bar I3.

the juncture of the cut-away corners and a grommet or eyelet 25 secures the opposite sides of the end edges in position.

Adjacent the folded under side edges 22, the sheet of material 20 is provided with an aperture 28 corresponding approximately in size to the size of the eyelet or grommet 25. The ends of the folded under side edges 22 are provided witha female snap fastener element 21 while each cut-away corner is provided with a com-- bined male and female snap fastener element 28 and a male snap fastener element 29.' In order to hold the sheet in a tub forming condition and to detachably connect the same from the supporting frame, a pair of stretcher rods side edges 22 and the apertures 28 are engaged over the reduced terminals 2| so that the portions around the apertures 28 abut against the shoulders 32. The. grommets or eyelets 2B are then engaged over the reduced terminals 3i and the.

male snap fastener element 29 is snapped into the female portion of the combined male and female snap fastener element 28. The male portion of the combined male and female snap fastener 28 is then snapped into the female snap fastener element 21 on the turned under side edge 22 of the sheet 20. When all four of the corners are thus interengaged, a tub or receptacle will be formed having the reduced projecting terminals or trunnions 2|.

The upper portions of the legs II and H of the frame bars are provided with inclined receiving notches 33 into which the reduced terminals or trunnions II are introduced for supporting the tub from the frame. In order to retain the terminals or trunnions 3] in the notches 23, latches 24 are provided which are fulcrumed at 2! and which are notched at 28 adjacent the free terminals to engage keeper elements 31 on the upper portions of the legs. Obviously, this provides a bathtub which may be detached and from which the stretcher rods may be removed to flatten out the sheet of material 20 so that the same may be scrubbed and thoroughly cleansed to maintain the same in a sanitary condition so essential to the welfare of an infant. It is, of course, obvious that the tub may be provided with a removable drain cook 38 which is clampingly engaged in the aperture 39 in that portion of the sheet of material 20 which will form the lower part of the tub. When the tub is in position, the depending portions it of the covering strips I! will constitute aprons which will overlie the inner sides of the upper edges of the tub to cause water splashed thereon to drain into the same.

The dressing table which constitutes an important feature of the present invention consists of a flexible strip 40 of waterproof material, such as canvas, which is also of a substantially rectangular configuration approximately the size of the upper end of the formed tub. The sheet of material 40 is anchored at one side edge to the upwardly projecting portion ll of the front legs ill of the frame immediately above the longitudinal bar l2. This is preferably accomplished by forming a hem 4! at one side edge of the sheet 40 which is trained around a longitudinally extending rod 42, the opposite ends of which are anchored to the rod II by the depending legs 43 of a frame 44 which extend through apertures 45 in the rod 42 and apertures 48 in the bar' l2. The frame 44 is covered with a covering material 41, preferably canvas, and has on the side facing the tub a strip of material 48 which is provided with a bottom line of stitching 49 and vertical lines of stitching 50 to define a plurality of pockets ii for receiving bath and dressing accessories, such as talcum powder, safety pins and the like.

The opposite side edge of the sheet 4|! is formed with a hem 52 which receives therethrough a rod 53, the opposite ends of which are secured to levers 54 which are fulcrumed at I! to the inner sides of the front legs l0 above their pivot point l4. Obviously, this permits the lateral swinging and stretching of the sheet 40. to a position overlying the tub. In order to provide means for swinging the levers and stretching the sheet 40, a substantially U-shapcd yoke including side arms 58 and a connecting bight 51 at the lower ends is employed. The arms 58 are pivotally attached at 68 to the intermediate portion of the levers 54. At the juncture of each arm 56 with the bight 51, a laterally ofl'set portion 59 is provided which interengages with a guide 60 on the inner side of each'leg [0. The guide 60 is formed adjacent its lower end with an inwardly offset keeper portion GI with which the bight is adapted to engage to hold the levers in their forwardly swung position for maintaining the sheet 40 in laterally stretched relation to constitute a dressing table overlying the tub. Obviously, the bight 51 of the yoke may be operated by foot so that when the mother or nurse removes the infant from the tub, it may be held with both hands while the foot is employed for causing the bight portion I! to swing the sheet 40 to its stretched condition and to engage the bight in the offset keeper portion ll of the guide 80. It will also be observed, as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 5, that when the dressing table forming strip 40 is in its inactive position, it may be swung over to act as a protective covering for the accessories in the pockets 5|. It will be further observed that when the bight I! of the yoke is locked in a position to stretch the sheet of material 40, it

serves as an auxiliary means, in addition to the braces 63, for holding the supporting frame in its opened condition.

From the foregoing construction it would seem that a bathing apparatus has been provided which includes a collapsible supporting frame and a bathtub supported by the frame, together with a dressing table and operating means therefor, all of which are collapsible from a set up operative condition to a compact folded arrangement.

What is claimed is:

1. In an infant's bathtub and associated support therefor, a sheet of flexible material an-- chored along one edge to the support adjacent to and above the rear of the tub, a rod extending longitudinally of and attached to the forward free edge of said sheets, a pair of levers fulcrumed attheir lower ends to the support and connected at their upper ends to. the opposite ends of said rod, a yoke pivotally connected at its upper ends to the levers respectively'intermediate the ends thereof, said yoke being adapted when depressed to swing the levers forwardly to thereby move the sheet from an inactive position at the rear of the tub to a stretched position overlying the tub and adapted when raised to swing the levers rearwardly to thereby move the sheet from a stretched position overlying the tub to an inactive position adjacent the rear thereof, and means on the opposite sides of the support cooperatively engaging with the yoke for guiding the same when it is depressed and for locking the yoke in depressed position and the sheet in stretched condition.

2. In an infant's bathtub and associated support therefor, a sheet of flexible material anchored along one edge to the support adjacent to and above the rear of the tub, a rod extending longitudinally of and attached to the forward free edge of said sheet, a pair of levers fulcrumed at their lower ends to the support and connected at their upper ends to the opposite ends of said rod, a foot actuated means pivotally connected 2,102,959 to said levers for swinging the levers to thereby move the sheet to-and from a stretched condition overlying the tub, and means onthe support for guiding thefoot actuated means and for locking the same with the sheet in stretched condition.

3. In an infants bathtub and associated support therefor, a sheet of flexible material anchored along one edge'to the-support adjacent to and above the rear of the tub, and extending longitudinally andattached to the forward .free edge of said sheet, a pair of levers 'fulcrur'ned at their lower ends to the support and connected at their upper ends to the opposite ends of said 'rod, a foot actuated means pivotally connected tosaid levers andadapted when "depressed to -'.'-swing the levers-forwardly and thereby move the sheet from an inactive position at the rear of the tub to 'a stretched "position-overlying the tub,

I and adapted when raised to swing the levers stretched position overlying the tub, to an inacrearwardlytothereby"move the sheet from a tive position adjacent the rear thereof, and

-means on the support for, guiding the foot actuposed end portions tulcrumed to the support to swing forwardly to thereby move the sheet from an inactive position at the rear of the tub to a stretched position overlying the tub, and to swing rearwardly to thereby'move the sheet from a stretched position overlyingthe tub to an inactive .position adjacent the rear thereof, and means for locking the sheet when in stretched condition.

DEWEY M. .20 

